While considered to be the original designer of Disneyland,
having created the first, overall, concept drawing,
Herbert Dickens Ryman was certainly the catalyst...
In a definitive, memoir biography, of a definitive artist,
Warp and Weft: Life Canvas of Herbert Ryman is of the weave
that made up the man...and of those who would leave it a tangle.
It is a story you have not heard before.
John Stanley Donaldson is uniquely qualified to tell this tale,
having had the privilege to know Herbert Ryman, of family,
over a period of thirty years.
Augment to memory, material for this work has been from
files of documents...and miles of tape recordings...all, owned by
the author, and previously unreleased.
Warp and Weft: Life Canvas of Herbert Ryman
400 pages
Softcover - Published by Incanio Ltd.
$19.95 plus $4.95 shipping
email: inquire@incanio.com
Herbert Dickens Ryman was witness, to high points of history.
Starting in the art department of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, under Cedric Gibbons, he contributed to the
screen styling of such classics as David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Mutiny on the Bounty,
The Good Earth. From friendship with George Stanley, sculptor of the Academy Award statuette, and
Fredric Hope, its base, Warp and Weft finds the enigma of "Oscar," in line with development of sound;
when Hollywood moved from silents...to squawkies...to talkies.
Setting-out on a one-year, world tour, Herbert was literally, of widened horizon...in London, making
acquaintance with Walter Lamb, once of the Bloomsbury group of literati that included Virginia Woolf;
or Peking, and meeting Edgar Snow...Red Star Over China being run through a Remington Rand,
when Ryman arrived. He would participate in street demonstration, protesting policy of Chiang Kai-shek;
and from revolution to evolution, stay in the Sinanthropus pekinensis study of Teilhard de Chardin.
As life is but a Warp and Weft, weave of things, it is shown, in one instance, how a chance meeting in
China, of love lost, would lead the artist to a mending in Maine...and from such summer of watercolor,
be invited to join the Walt Disney Studios...then preparing Bambi. Being of few who would be accepted
within familial circle, Herb became a Walt confidant. We learn of boyhood acquaintance...to date,
historically unknown, assisting in early animation...as well as what inspired Mickey Mouse.
And from the worldwide phenomenon that was Mickey Mouse...even awing an audience in Manchuli,
out in inner Mongolia, Walt Disney advances the herky-jerky cartoon to animation art. Herb Ryman is
with
him for Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Dumbo, and is enlisted into "El Grupo," a small team of artists on
tour of
South America...resulting in Saludos Amigos. And then...there is the "lost weekend," in which
Walt and Herb hurry, to design Disneyland...
Warp and Weft is a tapestry of untold tales...
In audio excerpts, six months prior to death from diagnosed cancer,
Herbert Ryman discusses with attorney Jon Michael Hibler, and friend
Bette Hallgren, his concern to protect his estate, from his soon to be,
"very tricky," disinherited sisters..."they'll just tear-up the papers."
Little did he know, his bedroom had been bugged...by sister Lucille.
And...just as he feared...his confiscated Will disappeared.
No paper was produced upon death of Herbert Ryman, in accordance
with California law. Records within court archives, showed no case number for Herbert Dickens Ryman, deceased.
His death was, for reason, not filed.
What would give Herbert Ryman reason, to have such distrust?
In the late nineteen fifties, Lucille, former head of talent at MGM, and husband, actor John Carroll, were found to have swindled the life savings of an elderly widow, whom they thought a Standard Oil heir. Losing the civil suit, and with that, lifestyle, they existed for a number of years, by various struggled means.
Then came the big score.
In the early nineteen seventies, and now in Florida, connection was made with Michael Knight, who was of massive, marijuana smuggling; the main man. Leading a group that would become known as the "Steinhatchee Seven," it is said "Little Mike" Knight amassed an estimated, one hundred million dollars.
John and Lucille saw the twenty-three year old as their "son."
At time of eventual arrest, the Steinhatchee Seven made news as the largest drug bust of its type in United States history.
In what had become a peculiar practice, many conversations were tape recorded. Such audio, from arrest, show Mike using his one allowed telephone call, to contact John and Lucille; that they put up the bond, and to protect the name of "Carroll," did so under "Ryman."
The Seven are intimately known by name, as well as, "the boys."
Herbert Ryman had no knowledge of such dope-dealing dollars...
but, he would not have been surprised if he had.
The New York Times, March 7, 1973
After Lucille Ryman Carroll, again, disinherited, confiscated the last will of her brother, drawn by attorney, Jon Michael Hibler, she needed to be certain there were no other, admissible papers.
Less than one month to the death of Herbert Ryman, she accessed, without consent, his bank safe-deposit box.
And there, she found an earlier document.
Four, formal, typewritten pages, carried elaborate, penned inscription: "Last Will and Testament--Herbert Dickens Ryman"
As witness, the final page carried the name: Marty Sklar.
While student at the University of California, Los Angeles, Marty Sklar received, without applying, a prime job at Disneyland, just as the park was about to open. The tabloid, Disneyland News, was needed, and it seems, he was of best, know how to head it.
From sports desk of the Daily Bruin, his followed column covered the basketball team, as they closed-in on conference finals.
Star center, of scoring record: Jon Michael Hibler.
Jon Michael was son of Winston Hibler, a prominent Disney producer, who saw to the hiring of family and friends. Lee Reem, for instance, best man at wedding of Jon Michael, would be head of merchandising.
The Disneyland News, folded after a few, but for Marty Sklar, it gave just the start, for a fifty-year, climbing career.
The Los Angeles Times, April 27, 1956 - The Daily Bruin, February 28, 1956
Walt Disney never knew, this new employee at the house of mouse, was not all that squeaky clean. Unethical activity at UCLA had been of certainly, serious investigation--with finding of election, balloting fraud. The illegal use of multiple, student identification cards, circulated with sole purpose, to perpetrate repeat voting.
Attempt to affect election of Bruin editor, by stuffing the ballot box.
Through discussions and hearings over a one-month period, with testimony of sixty-six witnesses, Marty Sklar was found guilty, in league with “long-standing dissension,” and received sentence of censure, for “conduct detrimental to the university."
For violating oath of office, Sklar was required to resign as member of the Student Legislative Council, and be suspended from all activities.
In the many interviews Marty has given, this is a matter that has never been mentioned.
Many years later, Marty Sklar, now head of Walt Disney Imagineering, would form, with Lucille Ryman Carroll, a Herbert Ryman foundation. He would serve as president.
Artwork that had been seized, could only be included, as long as no
will ever surfaced. This was made easy, as in clear conflict of interest, Jon Michael Hibler had become her attorney.
What of the will, sealed for seventeen years, to a safe-deposit box?
Brought to light, it became invalid.
When Marty Sklar said his witness signature was fake.
Six months before death, Herbert Ryman began to arrange his estate, "to protect myself, and the people I love."
Fearing his two sisters, he entrusted an attorney, and made a last will. "Horrible to have people in your own family--traitors."
But, furthest from thought--such fear could also apply to friends.
